Question

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether any independent service is available to those working on the Lords part of the Parliamentary estate who wish to report a sexual assault.

All reports of sexual assault or sexual harassment should be dealt with appropriately and with the right support. The Leaders of the two Houses have set up a Working Group on an Independent Complaints and Grievance Policy to draw up and implement a new bicameral bullying and harassment procedure. Officials from the Lords Administration are working with their Commons counterparts to support that working group.

Currently, there are a number of support services available to those who work on the Lords part of the Parliamentary Estate and who wish to report, or have reported, a sexual assault or sexual harassment. Members, Members’ staff and staff of the House have access to the Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service and the five Parliamentary Workplace Equality Networks. Members’ staff and House staff may also get independent support from Employee Assistance Programmes [Health Assured for Members’ staff and Workplace Options for House staff].

For employees of the Administration, the Staff Handbook sets out the procedures for reporting harassment or bullying of any type and the support available to them. For Members and Members’ staff, reports of bullying and harassment are currently dealt with through the relevant Whips Offices or through the Convenor’s office.

Members of the House of Lords are subject to a Code of Conduct which provides guidance on the standards of conduct expected of members in the discharge of their parliamentary duties and includes a requirement to act on their personal honour. An individual can make a complaint about the conduct of a Member to the independent Commissioner for Standards who would make a preliminary assessment of whether the allegation was linked to the discharge of parliamentary duties and, if so, whether it could constitute a breach of the Code. If the preliminary assessment concluded that these two tests had been met the Commissioner would investigate the allegation in accordance with the current procedures set out in the Code. The procedures and processes for investigating complaints made under the Code were not designed with complaints of this nature in mind and this is something the Commissioner would need to advise any potential complainant about, it is also something the Committee for Privileges and Conduct will need to consider. Anyone wishing to establish whether the particular behaviour of an individual member could amount to a breach of the Code should contact the Commissioner for further information.

In addition, anyone working on the Lords part of the Estate has independent access to ACAS services and can report a sexual assault or sexual harassment to the Police.